by Dhara Burak You know what makes me mad about being a part of Generation Z? It’s not the current political climate. It’s not the fact that schools get shot up every day and nothing is being done to stop it but protests. No, it’s the fact that, every time I think about the realistic future, all I see is the world ending. It’s the fact that I don’t get to dream because of … [Read more...] about The World is Ending, So Why Bother Dreaming?
global warming
Patagonia 2018
by Avery Schuyler Nunn The planet inspires almost every facet of my being and is the subject of my work. These photos document the receding glaciers in Patagonia, specifically capturing a moment in which the ice is calving. These Patagonian glaciers have been forming for millions of years. (Scientists estimate that this formation began during the last Ice Age, … [Read more...] about Patagonia 2018
Food Waste in Bethlehem
by Eli Zemsky Food waste in our country has devastating lasting effects on the environment and on American communities. Our food supply chain pumps an extreme amount of unneeded food into homes and businesses, then completely mismanages the waste. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that up to 40% of the 40 million tons of food produced in America each year … [Read more...] about Food Waste in Bethlehem
Let’s Talk Solar
by Emely Rodriguez * The Lehigh Valley has already made changes to create a cleaner, more sustainable future for our community. For example, Allentown installed solar panels on their courthouses in 2010, public transportation buses became hybrid electric buses in 2014, yet there is so much more our community can do. Becoming a more sustainable community starts with … [Read more...] about Let’s Talk Solar
Addressing Climate Change
by Matt Subjin Climate change is one of the biggest issues of our lifetime and there is more we can do as a community and as a city to both reduce its impact, and lower our carbon footprint. Liberals are one of the biggest groups that will support my call to action because they want more action to be taken as a community and government to help stop climate change. … [Read more...] about Addressing Climate Change
Climate Justice
by Audrey Dai Climate justice. These two simple words are probably not as familiar as the now politically infused “climate change”. Instead, these words emphasize how environmental changes are an issue of civil rights, and how these changes will disproportionately affect each of us living on this planet, just some more than others. And this is regardless of your political … [Read more...] about Climate Justice
Connecting the Dots (1)
The shutdown of many businesses and activities during the coronavirus lockdown resulted in a significant reduction in fossil-fuel use, and the low oil prices make it cheaper to make plastic from fossil fuels instead of recycling plastic. And this leads to lower demand and lower prices for recyclables — in many cases, they now go straight from your recycling bin to the … [Read more...] about Connecting the Dots (1)
What will it take?
Excellent New Yorker article by Bill McKibben, titled 'What will it take to cool the planet'. Covers the Climate Interactive website that let's you see the effects of playing with different variables, a dive into the Gwich’in fight against plans for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and the need for more descriptive visioning for the future. (All in all, a … [Read more...] about What will it take?
Energy Efficiency: Solution to Climate Change
by Bruce Wilson Climate Change can lead to a feeling of helplessness, but we have all the tools we need to make a difference; we just need to use them! Last year four environmental leaders, Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), Bill Mckibben of 350.org, Steve Nadal of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), and Paul Hawken, editor of … [Read more...] about Energy Efficiency: Solution to Climate Change
Summer interns’ work!
I'm very pleased to be able to point to projects that students completed this summer — check out the impressive results! Emma Coppock [Lehigh '20], Marayna Dorsey [Shippensburg '20], and Joseph Yashur [Cedar Crest '20] completed a project on Sustainability for Cafés and Restaurants. In the process, they also helped a number of restaurants solve specific sustainability … [Read more...] about Summer interns’ work!